There’s never been a better time to visit this remarkable destination, one that embodies conservation, exclusivity, vibrant culture and thriving wildlife unlike anywhere else in the world. If you’re seeking to be inspired by your travel adventures — ones filled with as much discovery as there is purpose — it’s time to follow Time + Tide on the road less travelled and visit the changing landscapes of the Liuwa Plain.
With its vast golden plains, shimmering lagoons, thriving wildlife and successful conservation stories, Liuwa Plain National Park is one of Africa’s best-kept secrets, offering travellers the time and space to reconnect, relax and reflect. The only permanent camp in the park, Time + Tide King Lewanika is a haven of luxury amid the wild, perfect for modern-day explorers seeking an exclusive safari experience. Immerse yourself in a land unchanged by time with various safari activities, from canoeing in the lagoon alongside wildebeest to bucket-list-worthy game drive sightings and their signature Sleepout Under the Stars.
Time + Tide King Lewanika was conceived in collaboration with park management, African Parks in partnership with the Zambian Department of National Parks and Wildlife and the Barotse Royal Establishment, the monarchy of the Lozi people who live in and around the park. A natural extension of the vast landscape, Time + Tide King Lewanika is designed to have an effortless flow between the inside and outside. Its six open-front luxury safari tents (including a two-bedroom, two-bathroom luxury family tent) are the essence of pure and simple luxury. Built using local techniques and sustainable materials, they run on solar power and are furnished using vintage leather, cotton and canvas—a nod to old-world safari days.
The golden hue of the plains is reflected throughout the design, contrasting against masculine accents of vintage leather and burnished metal. Take a moment to yourself as you lounge on your private veranda, taking in the panoramic views and watching birds wade in the lily-dotted lagoon. Gather around the evening campfire, swapping tales under the stars and listen to the calls of whooping hyenas as you drift off to sleep. Liuwa Plain National Park is a paradise for wildlife and landscape photographers, with few to no other vehicles in sight, dramatic skies, uninterrupted vistas, and unbelievable wildlife displays.
With the arrival of the rains in November, the grass plains transform into a watery wonderland from January to May, providing a sanctuary for migratory birds and offering birders the chance to witness large flocks of crowned cranes and Africa’s largest wattled cranes as they fill the sky. Furthermore, it is home to the second-largest movement of wildebeest, the famed Liuwa lion pride, flourishing cheetahs, and clans of up to 50 hyenas, providing incredible sightings and a chance to reconnect and witness the wild like never before.
Recently, Liuwa Plain has been honoured to have hosted Kingsley Holgate – humanitarian, explorer, author, a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and best described as “the most travelled man in Africa”.
“The vast open spaces of the Liuwa Plain and the incredible lion sightings made for a memorable visit – thanks for embracing the unique culture of Barotseland through storytelling, song, dance, drums and the marimba – this visit is a jewel in the necklace of the African Parks managed conservation areas.” – Kingsley Holgate, Afrika Odyssey Expedition
With such heartfelt praise, there is really no time like the present to visit such an exceptional destination as the vast Liuwa Plain.
WHERE?
Time + Tide Lewanika is nestled between two tributaries of the Munde River in the watery wonderland of the Barotse floodplains. The lodge is seasonally accessible via chartered flights from Lusaka to Kalabo.
WHAT TO EXPERIENCE
● As the rain transforms the floodplains into an aquatic sanctuary, immerse yourself in the regality of Lozi culture and the annual Kuomboka ceremony around March/April.
● Paddle noiselessly alongside hordes of wildebeest as they graze along the teeming banks at the start of the rainy season in preparation for the second-largest wildebeest movement in Africa.
● Join experienced guides on intimate walking safaris or game drives and sight the incredible wildlife Liuwa Plain offers, including a growing cheetah population and clans of hyenas.
● The wet season sees flocks of migratory birds skimming over the lagoons and filling the skies with the sounds of beating wings. Liuwa Plain turns into a birder’s paradise with the rising of the floodplains.
BOOKING AND CONTACT DETAILS:
+27 606424004
Note: ProCharter operates chartered flights to Kalabo. Visit www.procharterzambia.com to arrange your flight.
Images courtesy of Time + Tide Africa
